miller



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IV. MILLER, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO I-IIMSELF AND D. S. FRENCH.

KNIFE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,391, dated May 25, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hunan MILLER, of VvYalthain, in the county of Middlesex and State of IvIassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Machine for Cleaning and Sharpening Knives, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view. Fig. 2 a plan of the upper part or box. Fig. 3 is z transverse vertical section on line tu, a, of Fig. 2. Fig. a detail to be referred to hereafter.

In the drawings A, is the bed plate of the machine to which is attached on each side a shelf B, to receive the polishing` material that may fall out while the machine is being operated and prevent its dropping on the floor. A bracket C, descends from the bed plate and serves with the thumb screw a to clamp the apparatus to a table or other' suitable support. A plate D, having on it an oblong box Z), is placed over the plate A, and is secured in position by two rods c attached to the plate A, which rise through holes in each end of the plate I). A spiral spring cl surrounds each rod above the plate D, and is held on and its pressure is regulated by the screw nuts f, on the ends of the rods. These springs press the plate D, down toward the plate A. Two pieces of stout leather c, (one of which is shown detached in Fig. et) are inserted between the plates A, and D, the' plates having on each edge a small flanch (i Fig. l) which prevents the leather from being pushed out laterally. The depth of the flanch is however less than the thickness of the piece of leather confined by it. Suitable holes are made in these pieces of leather near their ends for the rods c, to pass through, and oblong holes or slots /a are cut in the upper piece to correspond with the holes g (Fig. 2) in the bottom of the box Y). These latter holes are for the purpose of permitting the polishing material to pass from the box Z), to the knife blade. The pieces of leather e, have near one end lips 5, which project beyond the edges of the plates A and l), the plates at this point being chamfered away as shown in Fig. 3. This allows the lips 5 to be spread apart for the convenience of inserting the knife blade and also for the purpose of inserting the shank of the fork and of cleaning the larger part next to the handle of both the knives and the forks.

Attached to one end of the plate A, beyond the ends of the leather is a knife sharp ener consisting of two pieces of steel, one of them (3 rising vertically from the plate A, the other 7 being secured to it by a screw and slot to make it adjustable. These pieces are set with their adjoining edges inclined to each other at a rather acute angle, forming a notch through which to draw the knife and reduce its edge.

rThe manner of operating this machine is as follows: The box b is filled with fine sand, emery or other polishing material, which works down through the slots g and c. The

i knife is inserted between the lips 5 of the leathers and is worked back and forth between them or is moved along laterally between the other parts of the leathers. The spread of the lips 5, allows the round portion next the handle and the shank of the fork to be polished as well as the blades and tines. If the knife blade is dull its edge may be drawn through between the pieces 6 and 'T by which it will be sharpened.

I am aware that knife cleaners have been constructed in which a box is employed to hold the polishing material and deliver it to the rubbing surfaces. I therefore lay claim to no such invention but That I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent as an improvement in knife cleaners is The shelves B, operating in the manner substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM MILLER.

Titnesses Z HORACE HAMMOND, GEORGE BEAN. 

